1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to suspension systems for motor vehicles and more particularly, to a suspension mounting arrangement for supporting the front axle of a motor vehicle wherein a front suspension element on each side of the vehicle is located in an aperture within the vehicle frame and pivotably connected to the frame such that in operation, the suspension element is capable of rotating into the aperture.
2. Discussion
Conventional motor vehicles are provided with independent suspension systems for absorbing impulsive forces generated by the contact of the wheels with irregular road surfaces and other vibrations while providing a smooth and comfortable ride for the vehicle occupants. In suspension systems of this type, it is common to support an axle with a set of control arms, wherein the control arms operably connect the axle to the vehicle frame. The mounting hardware for the control arms typically includes a pivot bolt which secures the control arm to the vehicle frame. Elastomeric components, such as bushings, are also commonly included in the mounting hardware for the control arm to further reduce the level of vibrations and noise transmitted to the vehicle occupants.
While these prior art suspension systems have proven to be commercially acceptable, they do possess several significant drawbacks. One such drawback relates to packaging of the prior art control arms into a vehicle. As the prior art front control arms typically extend into the engine compartment and as the engine compartment of most modern vehicles tends to be small, integration of the control arms into the vehicle is often an iterative process, tending to consume large amounts of engineering resources. Frequently, those developing a suspension system are forced to work with numerous components in the engine compartment simultaneously so as to resolve problems relating to interference between components, structural capacity, heat, and noise and vibration.
Another drawback, also relating to the placement of the upper control arm within the engine compartment, concerns the long-term exposure of the control arm to elevated temperatures, particularly when elastomeric materials are included in the control arm mounting hardware. Elastomeric materials can degrade rapidly when exposed to elevated temperatures, reducing the life of these components and causing the performance of the suspension system to be impaired. Impaired performance of the suspension system causes increased levels of noise and vibration to be transmitted to the occupants of the vehicle and in severe cases, can cause serious steering or traction related problems affecting the safety of the vehicle occupants.
Consequently, there remains a need in the art for a suspension system that positions the upper control arms in a manner so as to eliminate interference with other vehicle components located within the engine compartment and to shield the control arms from the elevated temperatures of the engine.